Weaving yarn scarcity in PH raised in Senate hearing

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Cynthia Villar on Thursday lamented the scarcity of weaving yarn in the country.

During the Senate Committee on Finance’s hearing on the proposed P167.5 billion budget of the Department of Agriculture, Villar stressed that the problem of the Philippines is that all of its yarn is imported, prompting her to instruct the Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority (PhilFIDA) to do its job properly.

“Gawin niyo ang inyong trabaho na mag produce ng yarn. Ako ang unang victim ng PhilFIDA. I have a weaving center [but] I stopped it kasi I cannot afford the imported yarn anymore. It’s too expensive,” said Villar. 

(Do your job,  produce yarn. I am the first victim of PhilFIDA. I have a weaving center [but] I stopped it because I cannot afford the imported yarn anymore. It’s too expensive.)

Villar, who also sits as the chairperson of the chamber’s committee on agriculture, food, and agrarian reform, said instead of asking for additional allocation for “planting” and “producing” yarn, PhilFIDA is requesting more funds for a building.

“Sana madevelop niyo na competitive ang yarn natin sa Philippines. [Maximize your] budget to promote more planting and production of yarn para ang weaving centers can have raw materials for weaving,” she said. 

(I hope you can develop and make Philippine yarn competitive. [Maximize your] budget to promote more planting and production of yarn so that the weaving centers can have raw materials for weaving.)

Echoing Villar’s call, Senator Nancy Binay likewise instructed PhilFIDA to focus on its core mandate, pointing out that it involves pushing for the development of fiber instead of building weaving centers. 

PhilFIDA Assistant Secretary Genevieve Velicaria-Guevarra acknowledged these by saying that the agency will heed the lawmakers’ suggestions.

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